The invention relates generally to agricultural implements. Specifically, the embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to pivotable lift assist assemblies for agricultural implements.
Many types of agricultural implements are used for a variety of tasks, such as cultivating, tilling, planting, and harvesting. For example, seeders and planters are agricultural implements that include devices that create a trench in soil, deposit seeds into the trench, and fill the trench. A seeding/planting agricultural implement may include a central section or bar coupled to a tow bar and wing assemblies coupled to either side of the tow bar. The wing assemblies typically include tool bars that extend perpendicular from the tow bar, row units that perform the farming operation and are mounted on the tool bars, and supporting wheel assemblies disposed along the length of the tool bars. Likewise, other agricultural implements such as cultivators may include transverse members that extend perpendicularly from the tow bar.
During the farming operation, the agricultural implement may by towed by a towing vehicle such as a tractor. Further, the agricultural implement may include a lift assist device that may be, for example, coupled to the rear of the agricultural implement. The lift assist device may aid in accommodating some of the weight of the agricultural implement and may also be useful in transporting the agricultural implement. For example, when transporting the seeding/planting agricultural implement, the wing assemblies may be folded for compactness and thus wheels under the wing assemblies may no longer support some the weight of the agricultural implement. The lift assist device may support the weight of the agricultural implement, and thus be used for transport purposes. The lift assist device may additionally or alternatively be used to mount, for example, a bulk fill system or a fertilizer system onto the lift assist device to carry additional systems during farming operations. It would be beneficial to improve structural aspects of the lift assist device.